


EVOs and Bats

by DrkPhoenyx



Category: Batman Beyond, Generator Rex
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Nanites, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-23
Updated: 2012-09-23
Packaged: 2017-11-14 21:40:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/519797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrkPhoenyx/pseuds/DrkPhoenyx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gotham escaped the nanite infestation, but is now cut off from the rest of the world. Its greatest hero has escaped and joined Providence to help find a cure and free the citizens of Gotham.  Will the JLU accept Terry back into the fold or will he be forced to rely on help from his enemies. Also, can Rex handle the competition?  Secrets will be revealed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. EVOs and Lawn Gnomes

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Batman Beyond/Generator Rex crossover. However, there have been crossover episodes of Batman Beyond with Zeta Project, Static Shock, Batman the Animated Series, and Justice League Unlimited. Expect some special guest stars.
> 
> Story is set after the Batman Beyond series, but ignores the JLU episode “Epilogue.” Set during season 2 of Generator Rex post “Divide by Six”

Alarms blared as the hits rocked the airship. One of the control stations on the bridge exploded and burst into flames. The explosion knocked the station’s operator unconscious. Max moved the downed officer and grabbed a fire extinguisher, quickly put out the flames.

“Do you have a plan sir,” Max asked.

“Plan?” Captain West answered. “I don’t need a plan. This is just a bunch of Level 2 E.V.O.s.”

“Sir!” Max yelled. “You are aware that the lower the level, the more powerful the E.V.O.”

“What?! Since when?” yelled Captain West.

~Boomshakalaka (Abyssian for “Line Break”)~

Sirens were blaring throughout the compound and Rex came awake with a start. “What the hell?” he muttered and stumbled out of his room. He found Holiday just outside his door.

“What’s going on?” Rex asked.

Holiday quirked an eyebrow and smirked, “That’s a good look for you.”

Rex looked down and blushed. In his rush, he hadn’t bothered to change and he was still wearing a white tank top and a pair of black Batman boxers. 

“S-s-ssorry, Doc,” he replied as he ran back into his room.

Rex emerged a few moments later in his usual attire and full of bravado. “I’m sorry you had to see that Doc. But if you’d like to see it again I’d—“

Holiday cut him off, “A Providence air ship went down in Orlando, just outside of Universal Studios. Most of the crew was killed on impact. There are only a handful of soldiers left standing between a pack of Level 2 E.V.O.s and a major tourist attraction.”

“Alright, alright. Business first.” Rex replied. “Come on, time to kick E.V.O. butt.”

“Enough yakking,” Bobo called. “The ship’s ready to go.”

“I’ll drive!” Rex yelled.

“NO!” 

~Boomshakalaka~

“You’re crazy,” the Providence soldier called out to his partner. “You do know that right?”

The young woman laughed, “I thought that’s what you loved about me?”

Specialists McGinnis and Gibson stood alone between a horde of vicious E.V.O.s and a local tourist dive. Sprawled behind them were the remains of their unit, including their “fearless” commander. They had been sent in to protect the vacationers, but an unidentified E.V.O. took out their ship before they could land.

“Watch your back!” the young man shouted as he blasted E.V.O. just seconds away from beheading his partner. “Any word on our back-up yet, Max?”

“Sorry Ter. I’m too busy watching yours!” Max yelled back as she fired on an E.V.O. circling behind Terry. “Command just radioed. ETA is in 10 minutes. They’re sending in that new wonder kid.”

Terry groaned, “What did we do to deserve this honor?”

“Knock it off, Ter,” Max chastised. “The kid’s done a lot of good.”

“He’s a hot shot and he’s dangerous.” Terry fired a few more shots at the advancing line of E.V.O.s. “Although at this rate, we may not be alive to worry about it when he gets here.”

Both soldiers ducked as a heavy lawn gnome sailed over their heads. “Lawn gnomes, seriously?!” Max yelled at the offending E.V.O. who had thrown the lawn ornament. The thing looked like a raccoon the size of a small pony with huge teeth and a really bad attitude. And the best part, he brought about twenty of his   
closest friends and neighbors.

“What kind of hotel is this anyways?” Terry asked, ducking a concrete toadstool. 

“This is Orlando,” Max replied. “It has theme parks, themed diners, themed hotels… How about we head to Disney World when this is all over?”

“No,” Terry answered emphatically and destroyed a ceramic fairy another E.V.O. was reaching for. Twisting he fired at mechanicoon and lawn ornaments indiscriminately. One of his shots hit an E.V.O. behind Max. The creature blew up and showered Max in green slime. 

The young woman spared a moment to shoot Terry a dark look and asked, “I thought these were supposed to be Level 2’s?” Two of the mechanicoons chose that moment to start spitting acid. “Oh, never mind.”

“That’ll teach you to complain,” Terry said chuckling.

Terry and Max tore into the mechanicoons with renewed verve. There were only two left and it was starting to look like back-up wouldn’t be necessary. “Ha!” Terry cried. “Looks like we won’t need that idiot hot shot after all.”

An inhuman roar shook the ground and a humanoid E.V.O. charged straight for the dynamic duo. The creature had most likely been human once, but no longer. Standing roughly 7 ½ feet tall, the E.V.O. was covered in bony spikes. It had long arms, like a gorilla, and loped forward at a speed Terry would have thought impossible for a creature of this magnitude. 

The E.V.O. reached Max first, and with one meaty fist tore the gun from her hands. It then backhanded her with the weapon and tossed it aside. Max was thrown back about ten feet, rolling as she landed.

“Max!” Terry yelled desperation evident in his voice.

Max stumbled shakily to her feet. “I’ll be alright Ter,” Max called. “Just nail that son-of-a-bitch.”

“Catch!” Terry called, tossing Max his own gun. Reaching into a hidden pocket of his supply pack, Terry dug out a bo staff, smoke pellets, and half a dozen discs.

Max caught the weapon easily, but the E.V.O. was too quick. The E.V.O. shot a spike at Max catching the young woman in the shoulder. The blow sent Max flying into a parked car, and this time she didn’t seem to be getting up.

Terry threw a smoke pellet at the E.V.O.’s face and charged it with his staff raised. There was a solid crack as the staff made contact with the E.V.O.’s head.   
Stunned the E.V.O. stumbled back a few feet. Terry didn’t wait for the creature to recover. He launched three discs at the E.V.O. which exploded on impact. The monster crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. 

Terry turned about quickly to find the remaining mechanicoons, and was surprised to find that his back-up had indeed arrived. Terry mentally kicked himself as he realized that he’d been so focused on Max, that he hadn’t even noticed the arrival of his fellow Providence agents.

Rex was standing at the edge of the hotel parking lot, staring at Terry with a slack jawed expression. Dr. Holiday was attending to Max’s injuries. Agent Six was checking on the condition of the rest of Terry and Max’s team. Meanwhile, Bobo was taking down the remains of the mechanicoons.

Terry quietly replaced his gear and moved to help Dr. Holiday. “How is she, Doctor?”

“She’ll be fine,” Dr. Holiday reassured. “It’s a mild concussion. Rex! Stop staring and give me a hand over here!”

“Yes Ma’am,” Rex replied subconsciously snapping to attention. Within moments, Rex was carefully loading Max onto the airship.

“I’m going to keep her in the medical bay overnight for observation. Help Agent Six with the rest of the squad and then come see me, Agent…”

“McGinnis,” Terry answered. Confident that Max was in safe hands, Terry rushed to do as he was ordered.

~Boomshakalaka~

Dr. Holiday was looking over the scans she took of SPC Gibbons for the umpteenth time. She’d run a simple routine test for nanites when first admitting the woman and the results simply did not make sense.

Initially, she thought the anomalies were due to operator error. However, she’d done the tests twice more personally on two different machines. The results were the same each time.

Holiday’s thoughts were interrupted as SPC McGinnis entered to the medical bay freshly showered.

“Mr. McGinnis, I was wondering if you could help me with something,” Holiday called.

“Sure Doc,” Terry replied. “Is everything alright with Max?”

“Ms. Gibbons should be fine, but I encountered a few anomalies in my scans. I just want to make sure that you weren’t both exposed,” Holiday lied smoothly.

“Sure thing, Doc. Anything to help Max,” Terry replied.

An hour later, Terry exited the medical bay to retrieve dinner for himself and Max. Dr. Holiday wasted no time in calling Six and Rex down to meet her. The two agents arrived together with Bobo. One look at Dr. Holiday and they both knew that something was wrong.

“What’s wrong?” Agent Six asked.

“I ran some scans on those soldiers from earlier, and I’m not sure how to explain it,” Holiday replied.

“Ha!” Rex interjected. “They’re E.V.O.s I knew it. Anyone that can fight like can’t possibly be human!”

Six cleared his throat and glared. Rex grinned sheepishly. “You were saying Dr. Holiday?” Six asked.

“They’re 100% human. There’s not a single nanite in their bodies, living or dead,” Holiday continued.

“How is that possible?” Rex asked. “Everything on Earth was infected with nanites.”

“I don’t know,” Holiday replied, “but I intend to find out.”

Six turned and headed towards the exit. “Come on Rex. I think it’s time we got to know our new friends a little better.”


	2. Domed City

Gotham City  
Ten years ago…

Terry awoke and began to sit up. His vision swam and he heard Bruce command, “Stay down.” Bruce walked over to the exam room in the Batcave and shone a penlight in his eyes. “Pupils are still dilated,” he remarked. “How do you feel?”

Terry rolled over and vomited over the side of the exam table. “Like shit. What happened?”

“Your body is ejecting the last remnants of the toxin,” Bruce said, unfazed by the vomit. “Do you remember fighting Jasmine Crane?”

Terry searched the recesses of his still clouded memory. “Vaguely. Is she really the daughter of the original Scarecrow?”

“I’m still looking into that,” Bruce replied. “Jasmine’s mother died when she was very young. There is no name of her father listed on her birth certificate and no one has seen the Scarecrow in years.”

Terry sat up and glanced at Bruce. “A simple ‘I don’t know’ would have sufficed.”

“Does it really matter?” Bruce asked rhetorically. “She seems to believe it and she has an improved version of Scarecrow’s fear toxin. It took me three days to develop an antidote.”

“Three days,” Terry muttered. “How long have I been out?”

“Roughly two and a half days,” Bruce answered. “During which time, she’s managed to create an energy shield to cut Gotham off from the rest of the world and release her fear toxin into the water supply. Now get up. I need you to stop Crane from dumping anymore of that toxin into the water supply and release the antidote into the atmosphere.”

“No rest for the wicked,” Terry replied with a grin. 

~Boomshakalaka~

With the new and improved antidote coursing through his veins, it didn’t take Batman long to dispense of the new Scarecrow and her minions. Three men, dressed like crows, were tied to a support column as Terry searched the villainess’s headquarters. He had already left Scarecrow trussed up outside the police station.

“You there, Old Man?” Terry whispered into his radio. “I think I found the control panel for the energy shield. Turning it off now.”

“McGinnis wait!” Bruce yelled into the radio. “Do not shut off that shield.”

Terry jerked his hand off the switch as if it was made of molten lead. “What? Why?!”

~Boomshakalaka~

Providence Headquarters  
One week after the Orlando incident…

Terry and Max stood outside Captain Callan’s office. It was currently 1545 and they had orders to report by 1600. Max raised her hand to knock, but hesitated. “Are you sure about this Ter?” she asked. 

“I think it’s a little late to back out now,” Terry replied.

After the incident in Orlando, Terry and Max were promptly transferred from Providence’s Central Florida base to Providence Headquarters in Nevada (1). Max and Terry still had their personal gear with them in standard issue duffle bags.

Steeling himself, Terry moved past Max. “No time like the present,” he smiled wryly and knocked.

“Enter,” commanded a muffled voice.

Terry and Max entered the austere office, stood at attention, and saluted the blonde captain seated behind the desk.

Captain Callan looked puzzled but returned the salute and replied, “At ease. I apologize, but I was unaware that we were expecting any new personnel today. What are your names soldiers?”

“I am SPC McGinnis and this SPC Gibson (2). I have a copy of our orders here Sir,” Terry replied.

Captain Callan took the papers from Terry and read them over carefully. Still confused, he returned the paperwork and pulled up his email account. “Aha!” he said after a couple of minutes. Seeing Terry and Max’s confused looks he continued, “I’m sorry, but it’ll all become clear in a moment. Please, have a seat.”

Terry and Max sat as Captain Callan made a few phone calls. “What do you think that’s all about?” Max whispered, nodding towards Callan. 

“I suspect that it might have to do with some of Dr. Holiday’s scans. They probably know that we’re a little different,” Terry replied quietly.

“Scans! But,” Max quickly quieted as Captain Callan’s head shot up. “But when did they get scans of us,” she finished in a whisper

“Sorry, Max,” Terry replied. “After that E.V.O. threw you, we had to check for head injuries.”

“Maybe I should check you for head injuries,” Max remarked angrily. “If they ran tests they must know about the nanites.”

Five minutes later, the door swished open revealing Agent Six and Dr. Holiday. Terry and Max quickly rose and saluted.

“At ease,” Six commanded. “I apologize for the confusion, but you two are going to be working directly under Dr. Holiday and myself.”

“Yes Sir,” Terry and Max replied.

Dr. Holiday rolled her eyes, “Enough with the ‘Sirs’ and ‘Ma’am” for now. You two were quite impressive out there. You took down seventeen level 2 E.V.Os by yourselves.”

Six turned to Terry, “We got a recording of the battle from the airship’s exterior cameras. I recognized at least half a dozen different forms of martial arts and there were still more moves that I could not identify. There is nothing in your military record to reflect this level of training.”

“I trained before joining Providence,” Terry replied flatly.

“Where did you study?” Six asked.

“I had private tutors,” Terry replied vaguely. “I worked for Bruce Wayne as a personal assistant and bodyguard.”

“Wayne,” Holiday muttered quietly. She seemed lost in thought for a moment before asking, “Not the CEO of Wayne-Powers?”

Six actually looked impressed as both Terry and Max nodded. 

“But Wayne-Powers is based in… Of course, it all makes sense!” Holiday remarked excitedly.

“What makes sense?” Six asked.

Holiday shot an apologetic look to Terry and Max. “I’m sorry that I didn’t mention this sooner, but the scans I took a week ago—“

“Revealed that we didn’t have any nanites,” Terry finished for her.

Callan’s jaw dropped and Six was becoming increasingly irritated. “How is that possible and what does it have to do with Wayne-Powers?” Callan asked.

Tired of being ignored, Max answered, “Wayne-Powers is based out of Gotham City. That’s where McGinnis and I were when the nanite explosion hit.”

“I still don’t get it,” Callan replied.

“Gotham is often called the ‘Domed City’,” Holiday replied. “Travel and communication with the outside world is completely cut off. No one outside of Gotham knows how or why the dome was created; only that it was up before the nanite explosion hit.”

“As I’m sure you know, Gotham is well-known for its colorful super villains,” Terry began.

“As well as the Batman,” Holiday replied nodding.

“The dome was actually created by a super villain claiming to be the daughter of the original Scarecrow. Jasmine Crane created the barrier and then released a chemical toxin into the Gotham air. The toxin caused anyone who breathed it to experience hallucinations of their greatest fears. More than fifty people died in the resulting chaos before Batman was able to create an antidote and release into the atmosphere,” Terry explained.

“So the dome going up before the nanite explosion was just a coincidence?” Holiday asked.

Terry nodded, “News reports were filtering in about the nanite explosion. Out of fear, the Gotham City Council and the Mayor Fox chose to leave the dome in place. Military law was imposed shortly thereafter. Food and basic supplies are brought into the city after an intense screening process, but nothing living. A few have managed to get out of the city, but no one gets back in.”

“Then why did you two leave?” Six asked skeptically.

~Boomshakalaka~

Gotham City  
Five years ago…

Military Law had been imposed since the dome went up five years ago, but right now, there wasn’t a single soldier in site. The ground shook as the giant E.V.O. pounded on Gotham’s energy shield. Naturally, it fell to Batman to stop it. 

Terry arrived at the shield’s edge ten minutes before midnight. He held his breath and watched as the energy shield flickered and failed. Terry knew that if he set one foot outside the energy shield, he’d be exiled from Gotham forever. But at this moment, he was the only one who could stop the monster.  
Bruce came on the radio as Terry headed for the city boundary. “Terry, are you sure you want to do this?”

Terry sighed, “I’m the only one here Bruce. Tell,” he paused to regain his composure. “Tell Max that I love her. Tell my mother…I don’t know. You’ll think of something. Just tell her and Matt that I love them very, very much.”

“I’m right here, Ter,” Max answered. “You’re not going out there alone.”

“Max!” Terry protested.

~Boomshakalaka~

“I witnessed an E.V.O. attack just outside the dome. The E.V.O. was at least a level 2 and was creating a hole in the energy shield. There were no military personnel in the area, so I foolishly charged out to stop it,” Terry replied. It was the truth. Terry simply omitted the fact that he’d gone out dressed as Batman.

“Were you successful,” Holiday asked curiously.

Terry nodded.

“What about you, Ms. Gibson?” Six asked.

Max shrugged, “I followed him. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Captain Callan chuckled, “So what did you do afterwards? You left all of your personal belongings in the dome.”

“Mr. Wayne has houses and offices in cities all over the world. As his personal assistant, I have access to all of them.”

“There’s still one thing I don’t understand,” Holiday said. “The dome protected you from nanite exposure initially, but you should have been infused with nanites as soon as you left Gotham. Has Wayne-Powers developed a cure?”

“Not quite,” Max answered. “They developed a vaccine. It’s the main reason we joined Providence. We wanted to get the vaccine into the right hands so that it might be developed into a cure.”

Holiday’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m going to need blood samples,” she announced excitedly and rushed out of the office.

Six turned to Terry and Max, “You two brought civilian clothes, I assume?”

Terry and Max nodded.

“Good,” replied Six. “Ditch the uniforms. You’ll report to me at 0700. Goodnight Agent McGinnis, Agent Gibson.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) I started the story in Orlando because it is a city that I’m familiar with. I have no idea where Providence Headquarters is. I just know that Rex is usually fighting in the middle of a desert. I chose Nevada on a whim.
> 
> (2) SPC stands for the enlisted rank of specialist (E-4). I have no idea what kind of a rank system Providence uses. There are ‘captains’ in every branch of service (although it means different things in different branches). I used the army ranks. 
> 
> I promise that Rex will get more face time in the upcoming chapters.


	3. Talk is Cheap

Rex and Noah sat in the mess hall finishing their breakfast. The rest of the Providence agents were giving them a wide berth. The reason was fairly obvious; Bobo was seated across from them nursing a mug of coffee and a hangover.

“So, what are we doing today?” Rex asked Noah excitedly.

Bobo glared daggers at the teens and grumbled, “Show some respect.”

Rex grinned, his mind already contemplating a million different ways to mess with his partner before the hangover wore off. For the moment, however, he chose to lower his voice. “What do you want to do?” he repeated quietly.

Noah thought for a minute before answering. “Well, it is Saturday. We could go down to the mall. Claire’s working at GameSpot.”

Rex looked at Noah skeptically, “And—“

“Annie also works at GameSpot,” Noah answered, keeping his eyes glued to his shoes.

“Let’s call that Plan B,” Rex said. 

A group of new Providence soldiers (new in the sense that they hadn’t learned to fear Bobo yet) gathered near their table. Noah recognized the type, they were gossip mongers. Every school, workplace, and social gathering had a few and apparently these were the Keep’s.

“Did you hear about the new transfers?” one soldier asked.

Another scoffed, “How could I not? They’ve been on base less than 24 hours and they’ve already been transferred upstairs.”

“Upstairs?” someone asked.

“To Six’s division,” another soldier answered.

Bobo growled, “If you fishwives don’t find somewhere else to tell your stories, you won’t be alive to worry about transfers.”

“New plan,” Rex said turning to Noah. “Let’s go see what Six and Holiday are up to.”

~Boomshakalaka~

Rex and Noah found Holiday in one of the combat training rooms. The room itself was designed to look like a traditional Japanese dojo. Holiday was seated near the edge of the mat conversing with an unfamiliar young black woman. 

Rex moved to join Holiday when Noah stopped him. “Dude,” Noah hissed, pointing at his friend’s shoes as he pulled his own off. 

Looking around, Rex noticed that no one in the dojo was wearing shoes and there were several pairs placed neatly near the entryway. “I knew that,” Rex muttered.

Rex moved confidently towards the ladies with Noah just a half step behind. The new woman whistled suggestively and called out, “Now there are some fine looking men!”

Holiday giggled like a school girl. She didn’t know why, but hanging around Maxine made her feel like she was back in college. Blushing, Holiday added a little more quietly, “I agree. You take the one on the right; I’ll take the one on the left.”

“Why thank you ladies,” Rex replied puffing out his chest. “I don’t believe we’ve met.” He took Max’s hand and lifted it up to kiss it gently.

Max laughed in his face and Holiday joined in a moment later. “You thought—“Max couldn’t continue as she doubled over with laughter. “The look on your face!”

Meanwhile, Rex was doing an excellent fish impersonation. Holiday pointed behind the two teens to where Six and Terry were watching the scene play out. Terry was wearing an amused smirk and Six had raised an eyebrow. 

Max removed her hand from Rex’s now slack grip. “You still haven’t introduced me to your entertaining young friends, Doc.”

Holiday recovered her composure and began introductions. “Max, this is Rex—the one we were talking about earlier—and his friend Noah. Boys, this is Maxine Gibson and Terrence McGinnis. They will be working with us from now on.”

Rex sized up Terry and offered his hand, “Nice to meet you, Terrence.” The teen was clearly unhappy with the new competition. “Just remember to stay out of my way and you’ll be fine.”

“Call me Terry,” Terry replied with his best fake smile and a crushing handshake. Rex winced slightly. “Six and I were about to begin training. Why don’t you have a seat with the ladies.”

Terry was dressed casually in a form fitting black polo shirt and khaki slacks. He picked one corner of the mat and began to stretch out slowly. He was putting on a little bit of a show to impress the ladies and ergo piss off Rex. He made sure that he was facing away from the ladies, before reaching down to touch his toes. Both ladies whistled appreciatively. 

Rex’s eyebrow twitched. Noah leaned over and whispered, “Don’t worry, Rex. Six is about to knock him down a peg or two.”

Rex grinned, “You are absolutely right. Damn, now I wish I’d brought popcorn.”

“What’s going on?” Both boys jumped; they hadn’t noticed Bobo’s arrival.

“New guy’s about to get his ass kicked,” Rex replied, still smiling. “The poor bastard’s got no idea who he’s dealing with.”

“Don’t count Terry out just yet,” Max replied. “I think Six is in for a bit of a surprise.”

Rex laughed, “I don’t think so. They call him Six because he’s the sixth most dangerous man on the planet.”

The room fell silent. Everyone except for Rex, Terry, and Six looked very confused and Six was staring daggers at Rex. “Umm, never mind,” Rex said sheepishly.

“Sixth, huh? Are you familiar with a Spanish assassin who calls himself Dos?” Terry asked.

Six didn’t answer, but the look on Rex’s face gave it away. “He took a contract to kill Mr. Wayne about two years ago. Let’s just say that he was unsuccessful.”

“Talk is cheap,” Six replied in his usual monotone. “Let’s see what you’ve got kid.” He removed his suit jacket and passed it to Holiday.

A crowd of Providence soldiers had formed while Six and Terry had been preparing to fight. Bobo was now using this as an opportunity to make some short term investments. Bobo stood on top of a folding chair and cleared his throat. “Alright gentlemen! Step on up! Place your bets!”

With those words, a switch flipped in Terry’s brain. It was time to get down to business. Turning his back to the audience, he studied his opponent. Six didn’t look very scary, but then, neither did the old man. Every Providence agent had heard the stories of the infamous Agent Six. If even half of the stories were true, Terry could be in real trouble.

Six sized up his opponent. The young man was all lean muscle and he moved with an easy grace. His muscle stretches earlier revealed a remarkable level of flexibility. His eyes darted back and forth, taking in every detail of his environment. Six suspected that he was taking a mental inventory of anything that could be used as a weapon. He had a strong suspicion that McGinnis had a background in street fighting before receiving more formal training.

Six stood still, allowing Terry a chance to make the first move. He was more than a little surprised when the young man did not take it. Instead, Terry held his hand palm up and beckoned, taunting the older agent. Six wasn’t one to be goaded, but he decided to humor the kid.

Rex watched as the two fighters circled, one never taking his eyes off the other. The E.V.O. yawned dramatically, “Are you two fighting or dancing?”

Terry grinned and Six used the momentary distraction to surge forward. He leapt and brought his foot up for a high kick. Terry crossed his arms above his head, blocking the kick and quickly pushed forward. Six was thrown off, skidding back a few feet. Six recovered quickly and it was a good thing too. Terry quickly closed the distance. Six punched with his right, but Terry danced to his left. Moving in close, Terry threw a vicious uppercut. The move would have laid most men out, but Six managed to turn his head slightly at the last moment. As it was, the punch still hit the base of Six’s jaw and his ear.

Several of the soldiers betting on the match booed. “Oh, come on!” Bobo yelled. “I have a lot of bananas riding on this Six!”

Six rubbed his jaw and tried not to wince. “Not bad, kid.”

Without warning, Six kicked to the side and caught Terry across the ribs. The air rushed out of Terry’s lungs and the young man rolled sideways. He lifted his knees to his chest and flipped back on his feet.

“Not bad, old man,” Terry returned.

Six raised an eyebrow and rushed Terry. The two men exchanged a flurry of blows, but neither man could land a solid hit. The audience watched in rapt fascination. Rex was literally on the edge of his seat with his elbow on one knee and chin resting in his hand. Several minutes passed without either man gaining an upper hand.

Klaxons blared throughout the compound, catching both the audience and fighters completely off-guard. Rex literally fell forward and did a face plant. The two fighters nodded and disengaged, each leaping backwards.

Holiday switched on a monitor near the entrance and White Knight appeared on screen. “Six, Rex, we have a situation in Metropolis. There’s a Level 1 E.V.O. running rampant and local authorities are useless.”

“Understood, Sir,” Six replied in his usual deadpan. He had already collected his jacket from Holiday and was shrugging it on. “Anything Else?”

“Yes,” White Knight replied. “Take the new guys out for a test drive. Let me know how they do.”

The screen went blank and Holiday switched off the monitor. “Wait a minute!” Bobo yelled as Six and Terry exited the dojo. “Who won?”


	4. Boys and Their Toys

“Hurry up!” Six called out to the assembled soldiers. “Transport leaves in fifteen!”

“Yes Sir!” the majority of the soldiers, including Terry and Max, replied in unison. Rex gave a mocking salute and Bobo tipped his head.

Providence agents swarmed out of the dojo to prepare for the mission. “McGinnis! Gibson! Come on. We need to get you outfitted,” Six called out.

Six appointed a junior soldier to escort Terry and Max to the armory. The young woman led them down two flights of stairs to a door that looked like a vault. She pulled out the keycard that Six had handed her and opened the door.

Max let out a low whistle and began examining laser rifles. She pulled out a heavy rifle; a shoulder harness; with two pistols; and an ankle holster, complete with a wicked looking knife. Terry, on the other hand, bypassed the guns and went to the back of the weapons cache. He pulled a pair of escrima (1) sticks of the wall and about three dozen shuriken from a nearby case. 

Max walked over to Terry and appraised his acquisitions. “Boys and their toys,” she teased, shaking her head.

Terry grinned, “We need to move; the suits are still in my bags. Come on.”

Max followed Terry back to his barracks. A few of the soldiers shot her strange looks as she entered the male barracks, but she ignored them. Terry used his keycard to open the door and found his roommate seated at the computer desk. “Out!” Terry commanded. 

The older soldier began to protest, but then got a good look at Max. The older man gave Terry a wide toothy grin and clapped Terry on the shoulder. Quickly bundling up his laptop, he left the two alone.

Max folded her arms and shuddered as the door hissed shut, “Eww.” 

Terry chuckled as he began tearing into his suitcase. “Don’t worry about it. I imagine there has to be some advantages to being transferred to Six’s division. Hopefully, we’ll each have our own rooms by this time next week.”

Terry tossed a sleek black bodysuit to Max. The bodysuit was a mesh of circuits and servomotors. It was nearly identical to Terry’s batsuit with a few exceptions. First, it had no logos or mask. There was absolutely nothing to tie it to Wayne-Powers or Batman. It also had a lower neckline and lacked the gloves and boots, so that it could be worn under most clothing. Finally, it lacked the batsuit’s stealth option. Since it was meant to be worn under regular clothing, making it invisible was sort of pointless. 

On the other hand, the suit still amplified the user’s strength and was heat resistant, fire retardant, shock resistant, and most importantly bulletproof.  
It’d taken Max about six months and a considerable sum of money to replicate the batsuit, but it was worth it. Terry and Max each had two suits in addition to the original batsuit. It was important to have a spare in case one got damaged in combat. The hardest part was keeping them concealed from Providence. Max couldn’t remember how many bullet hole ridden uniforms she’d thrown into the dumpsters or how many times she’d dodged the medics so that they couldn’t get a close enough look.

Max mumbled a quick, “Thank you,” and pulled her shirt off. Terry blushed and turned his back. Max laughed at his discomfort. “Come on, Ter. It’s nothing that you haven’t seen before.”

Terry blushed again and began changing. “I know. It’s just that creep—“

“Your room mate?” Max grinned. “Ignore him. Who cares what he thinks?”

Terry shook his head, “You do realize that everyone will know that we ‘hooked up’ by this time tomorrow?”

~Boomshakalaka~

Six surveyed his troops inside the airship. They were still approximately ten minutes outside of Metropolis and Six decided that it was time to discuss strategy. “Alright folks, we have a Level 1 E.V.O. in the heart of downtown Metropolis,” Six said in his usual no-nonsense monotone. “It is vaguely humanoid and all conventional means of neutralization have failed. Local authorities have already tried bullets, flamethrowers, rocket launchers, and all manner of land based artillery. As of yet, we cannot confirm that any of these weapons have penetrated the creature’s hide. Are there any questions?”

A black woman in her mid-thirties raised her hand and asked, “Sir, I thought Metropolis was an E.V.O. free zone. I have never heard of Providence being called into Metropolis.”

“Excellent question Captain Rush,” replied Captain Callan. “Metropolis is not an E.V.O. free zone, but Providence does not generally operate inside the city. Most problems in Metropolis are handled by vigilantes. However, as of yet, Superman has not been sited.”

Six cleared his throat, “McGinnis, you’re in charge of crowd control. Take Squad 4, Gibson, and Rush. Bobo, Rex, you’re with me. Containing this E.V.O. is not an option. I need you to neutralize it or eliminate it. Captain Callan, I want you to take the rest of our forces and cover Rex and I. Do not. Let. The E.V.O. out of the target zone.” 

“Yes Sir!” replied the assembled soldiers.

“McGinnis, prep your team. You’re up first!” Six called out.

Terry grimaced and turned to the troops. “Squad 4, raise your hands high.” About thirty soldiers raised their hands, including Captain Rush. “Alright, keep your eyes and ears open. There will be civilians outside that will insist that they need to be let back in. Do not let them cross the perimeter, but listen to them. There may still be civilians trapped in the target zone. Let’s get them out, soldiers.”

“We’ll be over the drop point in two minutes,” Six said. “Are you ready McGinnis?”

Terry looked over his team and nodded his head, “Yes Sir.”

~Boomshakalaka~

Terry surveyed the crowd as he patrolled the perimeter of the target area. Hundreds of people were crowded against the barricades, trying to get a peek of the action. He spotted at least three different news crews reporting live on scene. ‘It’s like a train wreck,’ Terry thought. ‘They know there’s nothing but terror and devastation, but they can’t look away.’

Terry hurried his pace as he approached Captain Rush’s post. A middle-aged woman dressed in a purple business suit was berating the captain.

“Ma’am, you cannot go in there. If you do not retreat peacefully, I will have to restrain you,” Captain Rush said in a firm authoritative voice.

“You don’t understand. I have to get in there!” the woman insisted. Terry watched the two women. He thought he knew the civilian, but he couldn’t quite place her.

“Is there a problem ladies?” Terry said, turning up the charm.

“Are you the one in charge of this circus?” the woman asked and placed her hands on her hips.

Terry nodded, “Agent McGinnis, Ma’am.”

“Well, you need to tell these blockheads that there will be serious consequences if they don’t let me in right now!” she practically screamed at him.

And that’s when it hit Terry. He’d seen her a few times before at the Watchtower during holidays and celebrations. The color drained from Terry’s face, “Ms. Lane, where’s your husband?”

Lois examined Terry for a moment. “I’m sorry. I don’t believe we’ve met?”

“I’m a friend of your husband’s. I’ve even been to his house a few times,” Terry replied, but Lois still looked confused. “His house up north,” Terry clarified.  
Lois eyes widened as she realized the implications of Terry’s revelation. “Ms. Lane, is your husband…”

“The E.V.O.” Lois confirmed.

“Shit! Captain, you’re in charge here! I’m going to find Six and Rex,” Terry shouted to Rush.

“Sir,” Rush protested. “Our orders clearly state…”

“To hell with our orders, Captain. Six and Rex have no idea what they’re up against.”


	5. To Hell with Our Orders

“Ms. Lane, you need to stay here,” Terry insisted.

“Oh no, you are not leaving me behind,” Lois retorted as she bullied her way past three armed Providence agents. She stuck to Terry like glue. “You’re going to need me in there.”

Terry turned to Lois as soon as they broke free of the crowd. He looked her squarely in the eye and asked, “Ma’am, have you ever fought an E.V.O? He’s not going to care who you are. He won’t even remember who you are. The best hope this city—and your husband—has is that I can get in there and restrain him long enough for Rex to do his job.”

At first Lois was shocked by the venom in Terry’s voice, but after a moment she nodded. “This Rex, he can—“

“Let’s hope so Ma’am. For all our sakes,” Terry answered. “Now, get back behind those barricades.” He grabbed Lois’s upper arm and led her back towards Rush’s men.

“Wait,” Lois made one more futile protest. “I still don’t know who you are. If you know my husband, then you know that there aren’t too many Leaguers who can match his power. Where’s your back-up?”

Terry’s grin was almost feral. “Ms. Lane, I’ve never found my lack of power to be a serious obstacle.” As he was releasing her into Corporal Donner’s custody he pulled two small green rocks from a pouch on his belt. 

Lois did an interesting fish impersonation when she saw the rocks. For a several seconds her mouth opened and closed but produced no sounds.

“Stay with the corporal. With luck, we’ll be laughing over this with your husband in a couple of hours. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about me and how I know your husband later,” Terry reassured.

Lois’s eyes hardened and she nodded, “Very well. Stay safe.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Terry replied and dashed off towards the sounds of gunfire.

Terry waited until he was outside of Rush’s men’s visual range before muting his communication mike and pulling out a smaller communicator. The new communicator operated on a different frequency than Providence or local law enforcement agencies.

“Max! We got a problem. I need you to meet me in front of the Daily Planet,” Terry practically shouted into his communicator.

“You mean that you have something more exciting for me than scaring off would be looters?” Max replied sarcastically from her position four blocks west of Terry. She had been supervising a perimeter sweep of one of Metropolis’s most affluent shopping districts; no one was going on a shopping spree on her watch. There’d been a few people on the outskirts scoping out the area, but so far no one had risked challenging Providence. 

“The reason that Superman hasn’t shown up to stop that E.V.O. is because Superman is the E.V.O.” Terry answered and winced as Max swore loudly and colorfully in multiple languages. “When did you start studying Creole?” Terry asked in a teasing tone.

“Not funny Ter,” Max replied as she placed a young lieutenant in charge of operations. “Please tell me you have a plan. Are we calling in the League?”

“Not if I can help it; I’m not exactly their favorite person right now,” Terry answered. “I have some Kryptonite with me. I’m going to restrain him long enough for Rex to get close.”

“Remind me of this day the next time I make fun of you for packing too much stuff. You’re as bad as a damn boy scout. You’re crazy if you think you can restrain Superman by yourself, Kryptonite or no,” Max said.

Terry rounded the last corner and spotted Max in front of the Daily Planet building. “Well it’s a good thing that I have an equally crazy girlfriend to help me,” he replied as he gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and pressed a piece of Kryptonite into her palm.

“Hmm, says the man who dresses like a bat,” Max answered with a smile. There was another short bark of automatic weapons fire; it was much closer this time. 

“Come on! We need to help Rex.”

“Or stop Six,” Terry muttered under his breath.

The dynamic duo rounded the last corner just in time to see Rex knocked off his feet by the E.V.O. The teen was launched into an adjacent building trailing an overly large sword. His BFS disappeared as he slumped back to the ground. Rex shook his head and attempted to regain his footing. Max moved to help him.

The E.V.O. was moving to engage Rex once again. Whatever Rex had done had obviously enraged the monster. Terry spotted sudden movement behind an overturned car. However, the E.V.O. was too focused on its target to notice. As soon as the creature passed the still burning vehicle, Six sprang into action. The agent jumped onto another abandoned vehicle and launched himself off the roof. His swords came down in a perfect arc squarely in the center of the creature’s back.

“No!” Max and Terry shouted at the same time.

Terry and Max’s cries went unheard, not that it mattered. Six’s swords struck the back of the E.V.O. and shattered on contact. One large piece of his swords flew back into Six’s face leaving a long cut above his eyes. The wound was superficial, but bled profusely temporarily blinding the agent. Six stumbled backwards trying to get out of reach of the creature’s long arms.

Terry didn’t wait to see whether the blow would hit. He sprinted towards the E.V.O. with the Kryptonite in hand. Terry watched as the E.V.O.’s claws raked the edges of Six’s suit and hit Six’s left arm dislocating his shoulder. Terry reached Six just as the E.V.O. was preparing to strike again. Terry latched onto Six’s good arm and forcefully guided him through the wreckage.

A chunk of concrete hit the E.V.O.’s head drawing its attention away from Six and Terry. Terry surveyed the area and found that Rex had recovered and was using his Slam Cannon to distract the E.V.O. Terry used the distraction to draw Six into an alley.

“McGinnis, what are you doing here?” Six asked angrily. “I specifically ordered you to handle crowd control.”

“Saving your ass,” Terry answered. “I have reason to believe that the E.V.O. is actually Superman and that’s why all of our attacks have been ineffective.”

“Superman,” Six muttered under his breath. “You couldn’t have told us this over the radio?”

“I could have, but I thought you may want this,” Terry pulled out his chunk of Kryptonite and showed it to Six. “I have one piece; Agent Gibson has the other. We’ll restrain him long enough for Rex to do his job.”

“How did you—“ Six started to say. “Never mind, just go!”

Six waited until Terry left the alley before muttering, “First Gotham, now Metropolis. I hate superheroes.” He gritted his teeth and used the side of the building to reset his shoulder.

Six emerged from the alley to watch McGinnis and Gibson working in perfect harmony. Both agents were staying close to the target to maximize the effectiveness of the Kryptonite. Gibson had her sidearm drawn and was firing. As soon as the E.V.O. moved to engage, McGinnis would launch shuriken. The two agents would trade off whenever they felt the E.V.O. was getting too close. None of their attacks were penetrating yet, but they were effectively pissing the creature off. 

“Hey! You guys, up here!” Bobo called.

Six looked up and watched as Bobo tossed the end of a cable to Max. Terry kept the creature distracted as Bobo and Max weaved around its arms and legs. 

“Guys! I’m running out of ammo!” Terry called.

The E.V.O. was thoroughly entangled, but they couldn’t seem to pull the cable tight, the creature was still too powerful. Six moved behind Max and grabbed the end of the cable. On the other side, Rex followed Six’s lead. He deployed his Smack Hands and grabbed up Bobo’s end of the cable. “On three!” Six ordered. “One! Two! Three!” On three, the agents pulled the cable tight.

Terry moved to Rex’s side and took up his end of the cable. “Hurry! There’s no telling how long this will hold him.” 

Rex wasted no time and moved in. He placed his hand on the E.V.O. and for a moment the E.V.O.’s skin glowed blue, but nothing else happened.  
“Kid!” Bobo yelled as he grabbed hold of the cable to assist Terry. “Failure really isn’t an option here!”

“I know, I know!” Rex yelled back. “Sheesh,” Rex muttered as he rubbed his sweaty palms on the back of his pants. He took a deep breath and placed his hands on the E.V.O. again. For a few scary moments nothing happened and then slowly the blue glow spread throughout the E.V.O.’s skin. After what seemed like hours—but was only a couple of minutes—the E.V.O. was replaced by a man. The cables holding the E.V.O. in place fell slack and the agents stumbled backwards.  
Six moved to check for vitals while Terry discreetly collected Max’s piece of Kryptonite. He carefully stashed both pieces into a special lead lined pouch on his belt. Superman’s breathing took on a noticeably more natural rhythm.

“You two have some explaining to do,” Six warned and turned around. “Where did McGinnis go?”

~Boomshakalaka~ 

Superman had been transferred to the Keep and Max had tagged along. At the moment, the airship’s crew was preparing to return to base. Max felt the sweat trickling down her back as she faced White Knight on the giant plasma screen. Silently, she vowed to kill Terry when he returned. How could he leave her to face White Knight alone? 

“Agent Gibson, do you understand the meaning of a direct order? That had to be one of the most reckless, foolhardy stunts I’ve seen. I expect this kind of thing from Rex, but you? It’s not too late to revoke your new status as field agents,” White Knight barked.

‘You can do this girl! You’ve faced down the Old Man; Bruce could eat this guy for breakfast.’ Max tried to keep these thoughts in mind as she addressed White Knight. “Sir, Agent McGinnis discovered the identity of the E.V.O. He and I went to assist the agents who’d already engaged the E.V.O.” 

Max was trying to remain polite and respectful, but her agitation was becoming clearer in her voice, a fact that White Knight quickly picked up on. “Agent Gibson, do you have somewhere more important to be? Why didn’t you contact the other agents by radio?”

Six had been standing behind Max the entire time unmoving and silent, neither condemning nor helping. Max released an audible sigh of relief as Six answered White Knight’s question. “Sir, Agents Gibson and McGinnis were in possession of Kryptonite when they arrived on scene. We could not have subdued the E.V.O. without their help.”

“Well where did they get the Kryptonite!” White Knight demanded.

Six raised an eyebrow and looked at Max expectantly, “I’ve been wondering the same thing myself.”

“Perhaps we can be of some assistance,” Terry said. Everyone in the room plus White Knight jumped; no one had heard the young man enter. He pushed an   
elderly woman forward and introduced her to the assembled agents. “This is Lois Lane, former reporter for the Daily Planet and long time friend of the Man of Steel.”

White Knight actually looked mildly impressed. “A pleasure to meet you Ma’am. I think we’ve all heard of at least some of your exploits. You provided our agents with Kryptonite?” he asked. 

“Yes, Superman is a trusted friend. He once gave me a small piece in case something ever went wrong. Please, may I see him?” Lois asked.

Neither White Knight nor Six looked entirely convinced but they were willing to let the subject drop. “Very well. Gibson and McGinnis, please escort Ms. Lane to the medical bay.”

~Boomshakalaka~

Dr. Holiday stood over her patient with her third broken needle. Superman was still unconscious and Holiday’s boundless curiosity had gotten the better of her. It was unlikely that she’d ever be presented with such a perfect opportunity to study an alien life form. The fact that this alien had also been infected by rogue nanites made him an even more significant find. However, thus far she had failed to gather any useful information from her patient. She slammed the syringe down on the table, and folded her arms. ‘If only I could find some of that Kryptonite…’

Holiday’s thoughts were interrupted as the medical bay’s double doors slid open to reveal Agent Gibson escorting an elderly woman. “How’s the patient, Doctor?” Max asked as the doors slid closed behind her.

“It’s difficult to tell. I really don’t know anything about Kryptonian physiology, but all his vitals appear to be normal. I expect him to wake up anytime,” Holiday answered as she studied the woman who’d accompanied Agent Gibson. She’d seemed incredibly anxious when they first entered, but her demeanor had visibly lightened as she listened to her report. The woman’s face and hands were filthy and her purple business suit was rumpled and showed several stains. Her pantyhose were shredded and at some point she had lost one shoe; she carried the other shoe in her hand.

Max cleared her throat, “Dr. Holiday, this is Ms. Lane, she’s a close friend of your patient’s. Do you think she could see him?”

Holiday’s eyes widened. The intrepid reporter was nearly as famous as the Man of Steel himself. “Of course Ms. Lane, please be my guest.”

Lois smiled wanly and joined Dr. Holiday near Superman’s bed. She checked the heart rate, temperature, and blood pressure monitors and nodded. “Thank you Doctor.”

“Dr. Holiday, would you know anyone on board that’s about Ms. Lane’s size?” Max asked.

Holiday was about to protest, but she quickly realized that there her patient was stable and there was nothing more that she could do. Ms. Lane clearly wanted some time alone with the patient and she seemed to trust Agent Gibson.

“Please doctor, we’ll call you if there is any change in the patient’s status,” Terry promised. Holiday and Lane both jumped and turned; neither woman had ever seen him enter. Max hid a small smirk as Terry slid seamlessly away from the wall and joined the rest of the group.

Holiday sighed in defeat and shrugged. “Call me if there is any change. I’ll be in my office.” Holiday grabbed a short stack of files and left.

Terry waited until the doors closed behind the good doctor before pulling a small electronic device from his belt. “Give me one moment,” he tapped a few buttons on the device. “There. Providence can still see us, but they won’t be able to hear us.”

“Good, I didn’t think that doctor would ever leave,” Superman answered and slowly rose from the bed. He didn’t get very far before Lois tackled him. Superman stroked her hair gently and muttered soft reassurances in her ears. If either of the two Providence agents could hear him, they gave no indication.

Lois pulled away from her husband and faced Terry with both hands on her hips. “Alright, you claim that Providence can’t hear us now. I think it’s time that I got some answered.”

Terry had faced down countless gangbangers, superhuman assassins, and the original Joker, but few had scared him as much as the woman before him. Involuntarily, Terry stepped back.

Superman chuckled and placed a comforting hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Isn’t it obvious? He managed to beat me; he carries Kryptonite and high tech gadgets in his belt; and no one sees him unless he wants to be seen.”

Lois smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. “Of course, Bruce’s protégé. Shouldn’t you be in Gotham?”

Terry smiled, “They let me out for good behavior.”

Max and Lois groaned. “At least this one’s got a sense of humor,” Lois remarked.

Lois and Clark listened patiently as Terry and Max relayed the tale of their escape from Gotham and the vaccine in their bloodstream. “But why Providence,” Clark asked as they finished their story. “Why not go to the League?”

“The League believes that the dome protecting Gotham is proof that we are somehow responsible for the nanite plague or at least that we knew about it in advance,” Terry answered. “Back when communication was still possible we received several threatening messages from members of the League. Let’s just say that I’m not on any of their Christmas card lists anymore.”

“I’ve been so busy with the E.V.O. outbreaks in Metropolis and the surrounding areas, I’ve scarcely been back to the Watchtower,” Superman replied. “You guys really didn’t know about the nanites?”

“Lucky coincidence,” Max replied. 

“The dome was constructed by the new Scarecrow. It was actually part of a terrorist attack. I was seconds away from shutting it down when the reports started coming in. The old man stopped me just in time,” Terry elaborated. 

“Your doctor’s coming back,” Clark remarked. “I’ll relay your story to the League, but I don’t know what their reactions will be. In the meantime, stay safe. You still have my number?”

Terry nodded and stepped back as the doors slid open to admit Rex and Dr. Holiday carrying a set of clothing. The doctor frowned and turned to Terry, “I thought you were going to inform me if there were any changes in the patient’s condition?”

Rex pushed past Terry with a pad of paper and pen, “Can I have your autograph?” he asked and shoved the notepad under Superman’s nose.

Dr. Holiday rolled her eyes as she watched Rex embarrass himself in front of her patient. “I’m still waiting for an answer Agent McGinnis,” Holiday demanded and   
turned around, but the young agent had disappeared. “How does he do that?” she muttered.

~Boomshakalaka~

Superman and Lois left the airship about an hour later. Six personally watched their departure from an observation deck on level 6. He uncharacteristically let out a sigh of relief as he watched the two figures fade into the distance. 

He’d been very careful to avoid the hero during his time on the Keep. While Six found it highly unlikely that the Man of Steel would recognize him, he didn’t wish to take an unnecessary risk. While Six himself had not been a high valued target, One had been on the top of the Justice League’s most wanted list. At one point, the League had attempted to round up him and the rest of One’s disciples in an attempt to locate their master.

Six replayed the scene between Superman and McGinnis on one of the monitors on the observation deck. The video had no sound, but Six could still pick out a few things. Their body language suggested that Lane and Superman’s relationship was not strictly professional and that McGinnis and Superman knew each other. The two men were careful to look down or away from the cameras when they spoke, making lip reading impossible. The ladies weren’t so careful. Ms. Lane seemed convinced that McGinnis was hiding things from her and Mr. Wayne was somehow involved. 

Just how is McGinnis involved? The young agent was smart and resourceful. His training was far beyond any law enforcement official or body guards. He’d suspect government Black Ops if it weren’t for his young age. That left the metahuman community, but which side was he on? Logic dictated that McGinnis had been one of the “good guys,” but Six was living proof that it wasn’t necessarily the case. McGinnis’s blood test showed no abnormalities aside from the utter lack of nanites, so it was unlikely that he had any superpowers.

Six growled, he had no one to blame but himself. He was angry because he’d allowed himself to become too complacent. He’d settled into this new life and tried to forget who and what he was. He thought he’d buried his past a long time ago. He should have known better when the Numbers had hunted him down last month. He’d always live in the Terminator’s shadow.


	6. Old Friends and Enemies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We will be skipping ahead a few months. Terry and Max have had time to get to know Six, Rex, and the rest of the Providence team. Also, this next chapter takes place after César has joined the group. I will be ignoring “Six Minus Six” and every episode thereafter.

Coast City, California, 0600 

“Six, status report,” White Knight demanded. 

“We’re closing in on the targets now, Knight. Van Kleiss’s team seems to be headed towards the carrier berths. I’ll contact you as soon as we know more.” Six tried to keep his tone cool and professional, but White Knight’s constant niggling was getting on the entire team’s nerves. 

“Do we have any idea what they’re after yet?” White Knight asked.

“Negative. But this is a military base, this could just be about weapons,” Six answered coolly. “Sir, why are we handling this case? I thought Coast City fell into Justice League territory?” *

Six waited as there was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line. When Knight finally answered he sounded both angry and confused. “Providence doesn’t just wait for some vigilante to sweep in and save the day. I’m disappointed in you Six. I expect this kind of attitude from Rex, not you,” he growled.

“Understood Sir, it won’t happen again,” Six replied.

Knight’s reprimand stung, mostly because Knight was right and Six knew it. But the truth was that the former mercenary didn’t wish to remain in Coast City any longer than necessary. Much like Metropolis or Gotham, Coast City was known as the base of operations for a fair number of superheroes and villains. He wanted to avoid running into any of his old colleagues or worse. There was a possibility, however slight, that one of the “capes” would recognize him from his days with the Numbers. The Numbers usually managed to stay under the Justice League’s radar, but a few, such as Batman and the Question, had made the connection between the Numbers and their master, Deathstroke. Six had no reason to believe that the League would know of One’s untimely demise.

Six was stopped short by a sudden tug on his collar. The mercenary gripped his katanas tighter and whirled to face his opponent only to find McGinnis. Six lowered his weapons and mentally kicked himself. He’d become so lost in his musings that he hadn’t noticed the younger agent’s abrupt hault. Of course, Agent Six allowed none of this to show as he raised an eyebrow quizzically. 

Looking at McGinnis, Six couldn’t tell if the younger agent noticed his slip or not. Terry nodded towards a nearby carrier and replied, “The Pack seems to have converged on a carrier, the USS Alexander Luthor. Max is scouting ahead.” **

As if on cue, Agent Gibson’s voice came over the com system. “I can see Skalamander and Biowulf on the quarterdeck. All visible members of the crew are down.”

“Rex, Bobo, what’s your status?” Six inquired over the coms. The two teams had split up to cover more ground; Rex and Bobo were headed in from the south. 

“Hold your horses Six. We had some trouble getting past the MPs. Apparently, the Navy doesn’t appreciate Providence ‘mucking around’ on their base. We’ll be in position in about five minutes,” Rex answered. “Any sign of Van Kleiss yet?”

“Negative Rex. There’s no sign of Van Kleiss yet,” Agent Gibson replied smoothly.

“For right now, let’s focus on the matter at hand,” Six interrupted. Rex’s obsession with Van Kleiss was becoming more and more of a liability. It was best to steer the topic of conversation away from Van Kleiss. “Gibson, when this goes down, I want you to lay down cover fire. Can you find a suitable position?”

There was a long pause which Six suspected meant that Gibson was searching for a sniping position. Finally, Gibson’s voice returned to the coms. “I’m on the roof of the MWR building across the street. I have a clear view of the dock, but it’ll take me a few minutes to get back down if something goes wrong.”

Six searched the road until he found the Morale Welfare and Recreation building. It was a single story brick building with a flat roof. This early in the morning it appeared empty. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, Gibson.” 

“Six, Bobo and I are in position,” Rex signaled in.

“On my mark,” Six replied. Turning to McGinnis, he asked, “Ready?” Terry nodded silently. “Alright. Rex, I want you and Bobo to take on Skalamander. McGinnis and I will take care of Biowulf. Gibson, keep an eye on the flight deck and hanger bay. I doubt these two came alone. Don’t let anyone escape.”

McGinnis put a hand on Six’s shoulder and nodded while Max answered, “Yes, Sir.”

“Can we just get on with this? How many times do I have to kick these losers’ butts before they learn?” Rex whined. Six noticed McGinnis rolling his eyes.

Ignoring, Rex’s comments, Six turned to McGinnis to see how the younger agent wanted to handle Biowulf before moving in. Six cursed as he noticed that McGinnis had disappeared, again. For a moment, he noticed a dark shape moving across the bow of one of the Coast Guard cutters docked nearby. Just how did the kid do it? No one trains their bodyguards to move like that. Bodyguards are supposed to be seen; they’re meant to be a deterrent. Special Forces operatives moved like that, sure, but the kid’s tax records showed that he’d been working for Wayne Enterprises since high school. In the months since McGinnis joined the team, Six had come up with two possible explanations. McGinnis was a cleaner for Mr. Wayne. It would explain why the kid could fight and how he could disappear like a highly trained assassin. The other possibility was that Mr. Wayne was funding some sort of vigilante. Holiday’s tests repeatedly proved that the kid had no sort of metahuman abilities, which significantly narrowed down the list of possible vigilantes.

Wasting no more time, he called to the rest of the team. “Alright, move in.”

Rex attacked first. Without leaving his position, he built his slam cannon and tore out a hefty section of concrete. The pavement struck Skalamander dead center before the Pack was even aware of the Providence team’s presence. Six closed in on Biowulf swiftly. Van Kleiss’s chief enforcer turned to face the agent and swiped one clawed hand towards Six’s midsection. Six darted backwards with a smirk on his face just as McGinnis leapt from the gangway. The younger man landed on Biowulf and wrapped his arms around Biowulf’s neck trying to get a choke hold. Six wasn’t sure how feasible McGinnis’s plan was; Biowulf had a very large neck. Nevertheless, McGinnis provided a perfect distraction for Six to move in with his katanas.

Meanwhile, Rex and Bobo were keeping Skalamander busy. Rex had abandoned his slam cannon in favor of his blast caster. Rex used the blast caster’s long whip to preoccupy Skalamander while Bobo chose his shots cautiously to avoid hitting the other agents in the crossfire. 

Crack! Rex’s whip came down hard around Skalamander’s crystallized arm. Rex braced his feet shoulder width apart and began to pull, but Skalamander pulled harder. The larger EVO recovered quicker than expected and used Rex’s own whip to toss the teen around instead. Rex dismissed his blast caster build, but not before Skalamander sent him careening into Six. The two Providence agents landed in a heap against a cargo container about five feet away. Skalamander raised his now freed arm to fire on the two agents and at such a short distance, he couldn’t possibly miss. Six attempted to intercept Skalamander, but Rex must have hit his head when he fell. The teen wasn’t getting up and Six was trapped underneath.

A powerful laser blast knocked Skalamander sideways. As the EVO’s body landed in front of the two agents, Six traced the beam’s trajectory back to Agent Gibson. Not for the first time, Six was glad that Agent Gibson was on their side. “Nice shot, Agent Gibson,” he said into the coms. Max thanked Six as he slowly disentangled himself from Rex. He checked the teen’s vitals before placing him in the recovery position and checking on McGinnis.

McGinnis was keeping Biowulf on the defensive, and Six chose to let McGinnis handle Biowulf. He swept the area for signs of Van Kleiss and the rest of the Pack, while keeping a close eye on the younger agent. Like Six, the younger agent preferred not to use guns. After their fourth or fifth mission together, Six finally showed McGinnis how to order weapons from the Keep’s armory. The younger agent must have spent a small fortune in shuriken. Even more interesting, was the fact that McGinnis and Gibson spent considerable time customizing some of the weapons. Many of the shuriken were modified to explode, release gas, or even freeze on impact. 

McGinnis had gone after the EVO’s weak spots; multiple lacerations now marred Biowulf’s long arms. Biowulf may be fast, but McGinnis moved faster. Shuriken whistled through the air and exploded as they impacted Biowulf’s natural armor. While they did little to pierce it, they were effective at keeping the creature off-balance. Terry darted in while Biowulf struggled to recover and delivered a vicious volley of punches. As soon as Biowulf would begin to recover, Terry would move back out of reach of Biowulf’s claws. He kept up a pattern of long-range attacks followed by series of kicks and punches hoping to wear the mechanical monster down.

“Guys, I’ve got movement on the Luthor,” Max warned over the coms. “It looks like Breach.” While Max and Terry had never actually met the Pack, they had both read over each member’s dossier. Six surmised that there was little chance that Max could have mistaken Breach for someone else. The woman had four arms after all.

Six drew his katanas and waited for Breach to make the first move. Advancing towards her was pointless. There was no way to sneak up on her as long as she remained on the carrier watching the docks. And with Breach’s teleporting ability, there was no way to predict where should come down at. Six studied his opponent silently from the shadows. She had a stack of file folders tucked under one arm. The young EVOs eyes widened as she noticed Skalamander’s still form.

“Terry!” Six winced as Gibson yelled into the com links. Returning his attention back to the docks, he noticed blood and, strangely, sparks along McGinnis’ back. 

The young agent was down on one knee and Biowulf was poised to deliver a fatal blow. Six quickly moved to help his partner. Terry stayed low and quickly moved around behind Biowulf. He hit Biowulf once on the back before moving clear of the EVO’s long arms. Terry grabbed Six’s arm as the two agents passed, turning the older man around. There was a soft whine followed by a loud explosion, as both men were thrown forward.  
Turning around, Six found Biowulf was down for the count. He raised an inquiring eyebrow at McGinnis.

“Explosive lodged in the middle of his back, right where he can’t reach,” Terry replied with a feral grin.

Six nodded. “Your back?”

Terry shrugged, “Tender, but—“

A red rift appeared in front of Biowulf and Breach emerged. Terry responded immediately by launching three of his shuriken, only to have them sucked into the void thanks to Breach’s portals. 

Breach opened two rifts below Skalamander and Biowulf and the two EVOs disappeared. “Playtime’s over,” she crooned. “We’ve got what we came for.” 

“I don’t think so,” Terry replied. He tackled Breach just as she opened a third rift for herself.

“McGinnis, no!” Six commanded, but it was too late. He cursed under his breath before running into the rift behind Breach and McGinnis.

Boomshakalaka

“You’re awake,” McGinnis commented dryly.

Six immediately became aware of a deep throbbing pain emanating from the back of his head. He opened his eyes slowly and took in his surroundings. He was alone with McGinnis in what appeared to be Van Kleiss’ headquarters on Abysus. Each agent was secured to a metal chair by heavy ropes. “Any word from our hosts yet?” he asked.

“Not yet, I woke up just a little before you did,” Terry replied. “Give me just a minute; I’m almost through my ropes.”

Six looked at Terry’s hands and realized that whoever searched him must have missed some of his shuriken. He was now using one to steadily saw through the ropes. The final strands snapped just as the door to the chamber slid open. To his credit, McGinnis didn’t even move. He kept his arms locked behind his back as if the ropes were still binding him. Six smirked; their captors were certainly in for a surprise.

Van Kleiss saddled into view. He was trailed by an attractive woman with exotic features and long brown hair. “Free already? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, Detective.”

Six was surprised to hear Van Kleiss’ companion speak; the beautiful woman had the voice of a much older man. “I thought you died on New Cuba, Ra’s,” Terry remarked as he folded his arms in front of his chest. What their opponents failed to notice was that Terry slipped Six the shuriken as he did so.

Much like Six, Van Kleiss chose to silently observe the two. It was clear their companions had some shared history.

The woman smiled, “Ah yes, let’s call it a perk of having your own personal Lazarus Pit.”

Six caught his partner’s eyes and nodded towards the woman. Terry sighed, “Agent Six, allow me to introduce Ra’s al Ghul the—“ ***

“Demon’s Head,” Six finished, clearly impressed.

“I see my reputation precedes me,” Ra’s replied. “I’m glad to see that Deathstroke’s protégés still have respect for the old masters.”

McGinnis’ inquisitive eyes shot to Six at the mention of Deathstroke. The older agent quickly decided that it was time to retreat before any more of his secrets were spilled. He’d already sawed through enough of the ropes to weaken them, so he broke them with one concentrated effort.

Terry followed Six’s lead. He tackled Ra’s, knocking him into Van Kleiss while Six dived for their weapons on the other side of the chamber.

“Breach!” Van Kleiss called urgently. “Send them back.”

Six ran towards Van Kleiss with both katanas drawn only to find himself back on the docks seconds later. A moment later, McGinnis joined him.

“Max!” Terry yelled.

Six turned around quickly to find the USS Luthor and the surrounding docks a smoking ruin. The Pack must have set off some sort of explosive after they left. Police, MPs, paramedics, and even members of the Justice League were on hand, pulling survivors from the wreckage. ****

Six watched in shock as McGinnis ran straight up to Warhawk who was talking to a group of MPs.

Warhawk literally growled as Terry approached. “You have some nerve showing up here.” He moved away from the MPs and grabbed Terry’s shoulder roughly. “Watchtower, two for transport.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Coast City, CA is a fictional city most commonly known as the home of Green Lantern Hal Jordan. Throughout comic book cannon it has been destroyed (literally wiped off the map) multiple times. After the most recent reconstruction it was given the nickname “The City without Fear.”
> 
> ** Most American aircraft carriers are named after former US presidents. In DC comics, Alexander “Lex” Luthor was president at one point.
> 
> *** If you’ve ever read comics or even watched any animated series based off a comic, you know that a good hero or villain never dies. Did Talia (Ra’s) die in Batman Beyond? Yes. But honestly, Ra’s has died many, many times throughout comic book cannon. Let’s call it a perk to having your own personal Lazarus Pit.
> 
> **** In-port or out-to-sea, there’s always people on board a naval vessel. Many of the junior personnel live on board.


	7. Gotham Knight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the last year or so, DC Comics has done a wonderful job of reviving Batman Beyond. I wish to incorporate one of the new characters into this story. The lovely Ms. Black, her alter ego, her father, and her powers are not my creations. I've provided more detailed information about her at the end of the chapter. *

Mary McGinnis watched her youngest son silently through the observation window. The surgery had ended hours ago, but Matt still hadn't regained consciousness. Her son had been badly beaten and while the doctors had been able to stop the internal bleeding in time, their primary concern was the head injuries he suffered. Despite all the advances in medicine in the past fifty years, the intricacies of the human brain still remains poorly understood at best.

"Excuse me, are you Mary McGinnis?"

Mary turned to find a young man in his late twenties dressed in a bicycle courier's uniform. He had a small manila envelope tucked under one arm and a clipboard in one hand. Mary nodded mutely and signed for the letter. In turn, the young man smiled and left, once again leaving Mary alone with her thoughts.

Mary knew immediately who'd have sent the envelope. Wayne had been sending her and Matt checks regularly since her oldest son, Terry, had disappeared. As soon as the messenger was out of sight, she poised to shred it like the countless others. A flicker of movement on the other side of the glass stopped her. Matt's hand had moved ever so slightly. A small smile crossed her face and for a brief moment, Mary allowed herself to believe everything would be alright.

Inside the dimly lit ICU, a single nurse noticed the movement too. She moved quickly to Matt's side and checked his vital signs and dosages. Mary knew that this too was Wayne's doing. Matt had received nothing but the best medical care since his arrival.

Mary turned the envelope over in her hands and stared at the return address. Since Terry's disappearance, things had a tendency to go to work out for Mary and Matt. When Matt entered high school, he received a full scholarship to Gotham's premier private academy. Mary won a contest that she couldn't remember entering. Matt had a well paying job with Wayne Enterprises, despite Mary's objections.

Mary's thoughts grew dark as she thought of Matt's job. He worked for Wayne Enterprises maintaining the dome encircling the city. More specifically, he was a supervisor in charge of repairs to a section of the dome on the city's northwest side. The job was not without hazards. Gotham's best engineers only had a rudimentary understanding of how it worked; whomever constructed it was undoubtedly a genius (crazy mind you, but a genius). Electrical shorts were common along the dome's surface. Occasionally, arcs of electricity would strike nearby objects or people. The workers did their best to remain grounded, but accidents still happened.

Today's incident had not been an accident however. A group of protestors, mostly young and unemployed, gathered near the dome and prepared to march to the courthouse. Matt and his crew were just coming back on shift when the protestors entered their sector. One of Matt's coworkers threw some rude insults at the crowd along with the remains of his lunch and the situation turned ugly fast. Most of the workers reached safety in time, but there had been one fatality and two (including Matt) had been brutally beaten. James Harris had been two weeks away from retirement. He'd twisted his ankle in the mad dash to safety. Matt and his friend Doug had gone back to help him, but the mob descended on the trio could reach the building the rest of their coworker were barricaded in. Someone must have called it in because MPs arrived quickly to break up the mob. Unfortunately, it was already too late for James.

The protestor demonstrations had grown increasingly frequent and violent. Gotham's economy had been slagged since the dome went up. The Gothamites now knew that the areas outside the dome blamed them for the nanite attacks; the dome going up just before the nanite incident seemed a bit too coincidental. Their fury was further fueled by Gotham's refusal to provide sanctuary during E.V.O. attacks. Many distributors from outside the dome refused to do business with Gotham. Very little was imported into the city and what did get in underwent an extensive screening process. At the same time, many outside the dome actively boycotted goods produced inside Gotham. The result, unemployment rates and prices had skyrocketed seemingly overnight.

"Mary?" Mary jumped, she'd become so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't heard the doctor approach. The doctor blushed and continued, "The surgery went well. Considering his injuries, we have him heavily sedated for the time being. We'll start weaning him off the pain medications over the next two to three days." ***

Mary nodded meekly. "Thank you, Doctor."

"Go home, take a shower, and get some rest. We'll call you if anything changes," the doctor made a shooing motion and Mary preceded him out of the waiting room.

Mary made her way to the garage, but she couldn't bring herself to return to an empty home. She leaned back in the driver's seat and stared at the manila envelope on the dash. Tomorrow, she'd deposit Wayne's check. But tonight she would finally get some answers.

Boomshakalaka

Danica Black watched silently as military police moved the prisoners from the Gotham City Courthouse to an awaiting prison transport vehicle. Under the direction of Gotham's new mayor, Paxton Powers, the criminal justice system had become little more than a circus sideshow. Everyone from the beat cops to the judges was working for Powers, whether they realized it yet or not. Anyone who openly resisted Powers' agenda was quickly and efficiently removed. The trial had been nothing more than an elaborate pretense. The couple boarding the prison transport would be lucky to survive the night, much less plan an appeal.

"Have you found the targets yet?" asked her patron.

The disembodied voice emanating from her cowl had become familiar and oddly comforting in the past year. Danica had returned from a simple heist, some priceless artwork from Wayne Mansion, to find a package in front of apartment door. After a thorough examination, she opened the box to find an improved version of her Catwoman suit and a phone number.

"MPs are loading them onto the transport now. Should I engage now or do you have another plan, Ghost?" Catwoman asked.

"Not now," Ghost answered, "there are too many civilians. Someone will get hurt."

Danica snorted as she watched the swarm of reporters gathered around the prisoners and officers, each one hoping for a statement. "Mindless vultures," she murmured.

"Agreed, but that changes nothing," Ghost answered with a hint of humor in his voice. "Head for the Third Street Bridge. We'll catch them as they exit the freeway."

"You're the boss," she answered smartly because quite frankly, Ghost was her boss. She had dialed the number supplied with her new suit and was provided with the chance of a lifetime. Now instead of thieving, Danica fed her adrenaline addiction by helping keep the citizens of Gotham safe. In exchange, her new boss provided her with enough money to keep her comfortable for nine lifetimes.

Danica headed for the hover car, yet another present from her mysterious benefactor, and sped towards the freeway. Reaching the Third Street Bridge, she pulled the vehicle onto the shoulder and engaged the car's cloaking feature. A quick glance at the dash revealed the placement of the bug she'd placed on the prison transport earlier. Apparently the vultures were good for something after all; they had significantly delayed the vehicle's departure. Danica approximated that she had another five minutes before her target arrived.

The top section of the hover car slid back and Danica slipped out. "Alright girls, show time," she murmured to herself. In an instant, one woman became ten and nine perfect copies of Catwoman sprinted to various positions along the bridge. She didn't expect every copy to make it onto the prison transport, but this way, she literally had multiple chances. The original Catwoman took up position high on top of one of the support cables where she had an unobstructed view of the entire bridge.

The first copy landed perfectly on top of the prison transport just as the vehicle exited the freeway. Danica felt the copy slipping for a moment, but the suits thick black claws quickly and efficiently created a handhold. Slowly and carefully, she slid towards the rear exit.

The second and third copies missed. One made an awkward landing onto a Hostess delivery truck, while Danica had to dissipate the other to avoid her being crushed by oncoming traffic.

The fourth copy landed on top of the hood panicking the driver. The fifth copy latched onto the passenger side mirror as the driver swerved towards the edge of the bridge. The driver noticed the rapidly approaching guardrail and quickly turned the vehicle away. He overcompensated and clipped a car in the adjacent lane. The impact dislodged the Catwoman copy perched on the roof.

Danica winced as another copy impacted with the pavement. Quickly dissipating the copy, she watched as the first copy finally set the shaped charges on the rear exit. Noting the charges were properly set, she dismissed both of the copies on the transport as well as the one still stuck on the Hostess truck.

The explosion rocked the heavy truck sideways, forcing it to overturn. The two guards in the front weren't moving, probably rendered unconscious by the explosion or the resulting impact with the asphalt.

The heavily armored door to the rear of the prison transport hung on only half its hinges. Danica's new and improved Catwoman suit increased her strength tenfold and one solid tug tore the door off its remaining hinges. The remaining guard was still in the back of the vehicle with Danica's targets. The guard was trapped, hopelessly tangled, in some sort of safety harness. His weapon had fallen into the hands of one of the prisoners.

A "love tap" from Danica disabled the guard and allowed her to search for the keys to the shackles and cuffs currently securing the prisoners.

"Catwoman," the old woman muttered. "I thought I told Bruce to keep his hands out of this."

Danica's eyebrows shot up, not that anyone could tell behind her thick helmet-like mask. It was possible that she finally had Ghost's real name. Well, part of it anyhow. "Mrs. Gordon, can you walk? We need to get out of here before reinforcements arrive."

"I'm fine," Barbra answered angrily as she snatched the key away from Danica. "Check on Sam."

The former District Attorney was slumped forward in his seat, shaken but still conscious. "We'll have you out in a moment Mr. Young," Danica said reassuringly.

"Why are you doing this?" Sam asked, shaking his head in confusion. One of the copies passed Danica the keys and the DA gingerly rubbed his forehead. "I must have hit my head harder than I thought."

Danica dismissed the last of the copies and helped Sam to his feet. "You're not seeing double Sir. Now let's hurry; we need to get out of here."

It was a tight fit piling three adults into the hover car, but somehow they managed it. Danica turned on the car's cloaking mechanism just before additional police units arrived on scene.

"Great now what? Young lady have you even thought this thing through? With the dome in place, it's only a matter of time before they find us. And then what?" Sam questioned, staring accusingly at the thief turned vigilante.

Danica wasn't sure what kind of reception she would get from a former district attorney and a former police commissioner, but this certainly wasn't what she expected. She'd thought they'd show at least a little gratitude. She cleared her throat as she grudgingly thought of dumping the DA's sorry butt on the side of the road, but the Barbra beat her to a response.

"Sam, I'm sure she has a plan. You knew the risk we were taking by openly opposing leaving the dome in place. You challenged the police state Powers created in Gotham. Our lives were forfeit the moment you got on live TV and called him out for his transgressions."

"But the evidence…"

"Promptly disappeared as soon as the trial started," Barbra reminded. "The judge threw out the case shortly thereafter."

Ghost's voice came over the car's com system, startling Sam. "And less than six months later, evidence was found linking both of you to an organized crime syndicate."

Sam quickly recovered and countered. "We had absolutely nothing to do with the Bertinelli Family."

"He knows that Sam," Barbra reassured her husband and directed her next comment to Ghost. "Alright, where are you sending us."

"I've got a safehouse set up—" Ghost's voice was cut off by an alarm on the other end.

"What's going on Bruce?" Barbra shouted into the com device.

Danica engaged the car's autopilot and pretended to focus on the road. In actually, she was paying close attention to the commissioner. As impossible as it seemed, it was clear the older woman knew Ghost. A quick glance at the former DA showed he was just as surprised by his wife's behavior. Danica hoped that if she kept quiet, she'd find out even more.

"Bruce!" Barbra shouted again. The old man still hadn't answered and the klaxon was still blaring in the background.

The alarm was cut off abruptly and the sudden silence made Danica even more nervous. "Boss?" she ventured.

"It's alright," Ghost reassured. "This is a confrontation that I've been expecting for a long time now. Catwoman, get them to the safe house. I'll be perfectly fine here." Ghost promptly terminated the communications link.

"Bruce!" Barbra yelled too late. "You are not taking us to the safe house; we're going back to the cave with you."

"Cave?" Danica asked.

Barbra shook her head, "You have no idea who you're working for. Do you kid?"

Boomshakalaka

Six stared wide-eyed as McGinnis disappeared with Warhawk. The young agent had a lot of explaining to do when he returned. Deciding that there was nothing he could do about it at present, he decided to locate Rex.

"Rex, I need a status report," Six called over the comms.

"Six! Where have you been?" Rex answered eagerly.

"That can wait. What happened here and where's the team?" Six answered in his usual deadpan voice.

Six watched as a large section of the ship's wreckage was tossed into the bay. With the debris cleared, he could finally see Rex. He was helping with the search and rescue efforts. Large sections of the carrier's hull littered the dock and surrounding bay. Without Rex's help it would take a crane to lift some of the heavier pieces. Rex cleared a path to the ship and several teams of firefighters followed.

"The Pack left a bomb on board. We believe it went off near one of the JP5 tanks," Rex sounded worn out, both physically and emotionally. "There are still people on board, Six. A few escaped right after the bomb went off, but they can't search for survivors until the fires are out."**

Six joined Rex on the docks. For now, there wasn't much either agent could do. The two men talked as they watched the firefighters spray a foam-like mixture on the ruined flight deck. "The rest of the team is alright. Bobo got the worst of it. The shockwave blew him clear, but his fur caught fire. I had to put it out; he's going to look awfully funny for a few weeks." Rex tried to laugh, but it sounded forced. "The paramedics carted him away soon after. I really need to find out where they took him."

Rex stood up shakily and Six put a hand on his shoulder. "There will be plenty of time for that later. I'm sure Bobo's safe in some hospital harassing the nurses."

Rex grinned half-heartedly. "Max helped evacuate the ship until the fires got too intense. She left with an NCIS team about an hour ago. I think they want to question all of us about the bombing. She agreed to go first, so I could stay and help here."

Six lost track of time as they sat in silence and watched the flames. Slowly the fires shrank and finally vanished. The sun was peeking above the horizon when an officer still in firefighting gear approached the two agents. "Rex, we could really use your help clearing the debris." Rex didn't say a word; he simply nodded and followed.

"I'd like to help to," Six said.

The officer sized Six up for a moment and sighed. "We need all the help we can get. Come on, I'll find you a suit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Danton Black aka Multiplex is a member of Firestorm's Rouge Gallery. His powers are related to nuclear fission (as opposed to Firestorm's fusion powers). He can make unlimited copies of himself, each with super strength. The new Catwoman is his daughter, a gymnast and professional thief. She can make up to nine copies of herself, that she can make appear and disappear at will. However, her copies do not possess super strength. In the comics, she saved Batman's life after he was beaten nearly to death by Hush. Her first name has not been revealed in the comics yet; I chose Danica.
> 
> ** JP5 is jet fuel. On a ship, this is known as a Class Bravo fire. They can be extremely difficult to extinguish (for one thing, water makes it worse). There are dozens of precautions taken to prevent these at all costs. And believe me, you never ever want to be close to one.
> 
> ***Please note, I have no medical training beyond very basic first aid.


	8. Coming Clean

After Terry's chance encounter with Warhawk on the pier, Terry found himself teleported to the Justice League Watchtower. Barda, Aquagirl, and Green Lantern were already there waiting for him.

"Nice of you to join us," Barda commented dryly. The seven foot tall New God glared at Terry with an intensity that the younger man would have sworn could melt lead. Batsuit or no Batsuit, Terry was certain that Barda could tear him in two without breaking a sweat. But if there was one thing Bats were good at, it was bluffing.

Terry folded his arms and smirked. "If I'd known how much you missed me, Barda, I would've stopped by earlier."

Only a timely intervention from Kai-Ro prevented Barda from physically attacking Terry. A glowing green hand grabbed Barda's shoulder firmly. Barda growled and made a single attempt to break the construct's hold before turning to the team's youngest member.

"Barda, remember what Superman told us. Batman, do you swear that the dome surrounding Gotham is completely unrelated to the nanite event and that you had no foreknowledge of said event?" Kai-Ro asked solemnly, looking Terry squarely in the eye.

"Yes."

"Well I suppose that makes everything okay then," Warhawk snarled. "Tell me something," Warhawk marched forward to invade Terry's personal space. "If you've been outside the dome all this time, why didn't you talk to us sooner?"

Terry refused to back down; he looked Warhawk squarely in the eyes as he answered. "I don't remember joining your little club. And I certainly don't have to answer to you."

There were a few tense seconds where the rest of the League was unsure whether or not Warhawk would attack, before Kai-Ro stepped in once again. He used a plow-like construct to gently push Warhawk back. The winged hero didn't resist. He simply snarled, "You're right GL. This punk ain't worth it."

Kai-Ro frowned and addressed Terry, "Regardless of your affiliations, you still should have notified the League. We may have been able to help."

"It's called 'professional courtesy'," Barda interjected and Marrina nodded.

Terry snorted, biting back a laugh. There were many words that could be used to describe Barda, but generally 'courteous' wasn't among them. "I left Gotham intent on finding a cure. Last time I checked, none of the League's present members are scientists. If I'd come to you guys first, you'd probably have me fighting some interstellar war half a galaxy away."

"We were only on Rann for a week," Barda argued.

"Yes, and last month you were on Xenomorph Prime and before that it was Oa," Terry retorted. "The reason why the Batman has never joined the League is that Gotham will always be our first priority."

"You do have a point Terry. But in the future, the rest of the team and I would appreciate it if you would keep us informed," Kai-Ro said softly. "After hearing about your encounter with Superman, I took the liberty of contacting one of the JLU's reserve members. I think you will find Dr. Foley's help very useful in your search for a cure."

Terry frowned, "Foley? That's not a name I'm familiar with."

"I'm not surprised," Marinna answered. She typed the name into the nearest computer console and a file came up on screen. "Dr. Richard Foley, aka Gear, retired shortly after high school, although he continues to work on projects for the League to this day."

Terry moved to stand over Marinna's shoulder and skimmed the file. "Doctorate in applied mathematics from CalSci. Another from MIT in robotics…" he mumbled.

"Dr. Foley has expressed a great deal of interest in your vaccine. Leave us with your contact information and you'll hear from him by the end of the week," Kai-Ro suggested.

~Boomshakalaka~

Bruce left Ace in the Cave. This was one threat that his faithful companion couldn't protect him from. Without a word he buzzed Mary McGinnis through the front gate and climbed the long staircase back into the mansion.

He had a few minutes to choose his battlefield. It would take Mary a while to make it up the long drive and park. Bruce unlocked the front door and chose a large armchair in the parlor and turned it to face the entry hall. He sat down placing both hands on the head of his cane and leaned forward in the chair.

Bruce waited until he could see Mary through the windows in the front door. "It's not locked," he called out before Mary could knock.

Mary's heels clicked on the marble as she entered the mansion. Bruce waited until he heard the front door latch before calling again. "In the parlor."

Mary followed Bruce's voice to the parlor. The old man offered Mary a seat, but she refused; she wouldn't give up the high ground unless she had to.

"Have you come to return my…What did you call it again? Oh yes, 'guilt money'," the old man smirked. "Have you come to return my 'guilt money' in person this time?"

The intensity of Bruce's stare caused Mary to take an involuntary step backward. Mary studied the older man again. On the surface, Wayne appeared weak and frail, but there was a fire in his eyes that made Mary reconsider her analysis. It was like those eyes were seeing right through hers and staring straight at her soul.

Mary gathered her courage and tried to meet Bruce's gaze. "Look Wayne, I think it's about time I got some answers. Terry was only supposed to be your personal assistant. Well PA's don't get called in at two in the morning!" The volume of Mary's voice grew steadily louder. She was literally screaming at Wayne now, but the old man didn't even flinch. "I don't know what kind of business you're running Mr. Wayne and normally I wouldn't even care. But whatever scheme you're running got my son killed!" Mary's mascara ran leaving streaks as angry tears flowed from her eyes. "I can't even bury my son. You didn't even have the decency to give me his body!"

Bruce seemed oblivious to Mary's waterworks display. He kept his voice remained calm and steady as he answered Mary's accusations. "Ms. McGinnis, please calm yourself. First, the last time I saw your son, he was still very much alive."

Mary's mouth hung open in shock as she stared wide-eyed at Bruce. "Why don't you have a seat?" Bruce offered and the shocked woman seemed to stumble into another armchair opposite Bruce. "I understand you've had quite a day."

Mary nodded numbly. "I don't understand. If Terry's alive like you claim, why hasn't he returned home?"

"He's been trapped outside the dome," Bruce answered. "You came here tonight seeking answers. Perhaps it's best if we start at the beginning. What do you know about Terry's work for Wayne Enterprises?"

"Terry mentioned that he drove you around, took notes at meetings, and ran errands for you," Mary answered hotly.

Mary jumped as a new voice answered. "Bruce was grooming him to take over his company."

Bruce turned to greet his new guests. "Nice of you to join us Barbra. Can I assume that Sam and Ms. Black are downstairs?" Barbra nodded in response.

"What are you doing here?" Mary asked blatantly as she got over her initial shock. "I passed three police checkpoints on the way here. News of your escape is all they're talking about on the radio."

Barbra snorted, "Don't believe everything you hear. My husband and I were set up. And now, thanks to Bruce, Sam and I are now fugitives."

"You're welcome," Bruce answered sarcastically. "Better a fugitive than dead."

"That remains to be seen. Don't think this gets you off the hook," Barbra threatened. "Now stop dragging your feet. Show Ms. McGinnis downstairs or I will."

Barbra's demand earned her an annoyed glare from Bruce. "Ms. McGinnis, I want you to think back to the first time we met," Mary nodded. "I told you that Terry saved me from a bunch of thugs, but that wasn't the whole truth."

Mary sighed, "I had my suspicions. Terry was into some dangerous stuff when he was younger." She looked Bruce in the eye and asked, "The gang was after Terry, right?"

Bruce nodded. "A group of Jokerz chased Terry to the edge of my property. I stumbled across them and chose to help." The old man smiled as he reminisced. "The kid didn't stand a chance, but he refused to back down. I admired his spirit, and I can't stand bullies. So, I helped him. Together, we were able to send the Jokerz running."

Mary looked shocked. "But you're—"

"Don't let his age fool you," Barbra interrupted. "He can still hold his own."

Bruce nodded to Barbra. "After the fight, Terry helped me inside and fetched my medications. In the end, I fell asleep before I could show Terry out. And somehow during that time Terry managed to stumble upon the entrance to the cave."

"Cave?" Mary asked and looked around the parlor and adjoining rooms.

Bruce stood up slowly leaning heavily on his cane. "What I show you next must remain a secret for Terry's sake as well as mine," Bruce warned. Mary looked doubtful but nodded. "Follow me."

Bruce led the ladies to the library and showed Mary the hidden doorway behind an antique clock. Mary hesitated at the top of the stairs and Barbra had to give her a reassuring nod. "Believe me Ms. McGinnis, the answers you seek are down there. I'll be right there with you."

Mary descended the stairs slowly. She wasn't sure what to make of it at first. The first things she noticed were the artifacts. A giant penny and a tyrannosaur dominated the exhibit. It was odd, but it really didn't provide her with the insight the former commissioner promised. She was about to say exactly that, when she got a better view of the rest of the cave. She stopped dead in her tracks as she spotted the Batmobile. Her eyes wondered to the costume display cases and suddenly it all clicked. She ran the rest of the way down the stairs to get a better look.

Bruce and Barbra descended the stairs at a more sedate pace. "I'm sure you have questions—"

Mary shook her head and interrupted Bruce. "He tried to tell me," the mother stifled a sob as she stared at the costumes. "Inside Peek was going to expose Batman's identity and Terry told Matt and me," Mary paused to wipe away more tears. "Matt and I just laughed at him. The idea just seemed so ridiculous at the time."

As Mary tried to compose herself, Danica and Sam joined the group. "Mr. Wayne?" Danica asked quietly and Bruce simply nodded. "So this means you were the original Batman?"

All eyes turned to Bruce. "Yes," Bruce answered simply.

"But how do you fit into all this?" Sam asked his wife. Barbra just grinned and nodded towards the Batgirl costume.

"Why don't we continue this conversation upstairs," Bruce suggested. "I know a great Italian place that delivers."

Mary wiped away her tears and nodded.

~Boomshakalaka~

In the end, the Justice League agreed to teleport Rex to a small town about five miles from Providence Headquarters. Terry immediately called the Keep to arrange transport back to HQ. As he emerged from the secluded alley the League had dumped him in, he found a small shop still open despite the late hour. Terry figured he had just enough time before his ride arrives.

Captain Callan was waiting for Terry when he returned to the Keep. Terry didn't make it five feet across the hanger before the captain grabbed his arm and guided him to a service stair. "Come on," Callan all but growled.

The two men went down two flights of stairs before Callan pulled Terry to a nondescript door. Callan opened it, pushed Terry through, and swiftly closed the door behind them. A quick glance revealed Agent Six, Dr. Holiday, and Rex waiting for them. The room itself appeared to be an unused laboratory. Lab equipment in pristine condition was strategically placed around the room.

"Delivered, as requested," Captain Callan smirked. The captain then leant against the door, effectively blocking the only visible exit.

"Um, hi guys." Terry tried to look nonchalant as he deposited four large pizza boxes on a vacant lab table. "Where are Bobo and Max?"

The boxes had barely left Terry's hands before Rex dived for them. "Um, Hmmm…Bobo's a little singed but he'll be okay in a few days." Dr. Holiday glared at the teen and Rex paused to swallow a large bite of pizza. "What? I'm hungry. Can't help it, growing boy and all."

Holiday sighed loudly and answered the rest of Terry's question while Rex continued to scarf pizza. "Max had to leave with the NCIS investigators. We've gotten word that she's on her way back now." Holiday then wrestled one of the pizza boxes from Rex and offered slices to Callan and Six before grabbing one for herself.

Terry snatched the last slice of sausage pizza out from under Rex's nose. "Doctor, are you familiar with a scientist by the name of Richard Foley?" Terry asked between bites.

Holiday nodded, "He's one of the foremost experts in the robotics field. I heard he was working on a cure with Dakota Tech, a small subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises."

"Apparently, he's done work for the JLU in the past and wanted to offer up his services to help find a cure," Terry said.

Six glared at Terry and it was obvious to everyone watching that the older agent didn't accept Terry's excuse. Apparently, neither did Holiday. "It doesn't make any sense. If he wanted to help with the nanite situation, why would he contact you? I'm Providence's chief science advisor. And he certainly wouldn't need the Justice League to do it."

Rex put down the pizza he was holding and wiped his hands on his pantlegs. "This whole thing is seriously whack. I was there when Birdboy took you away. He recognized you. And what's more, he was majorly pissed. What'd you do; spit in his birdseed?"

"What's your connection to the Justice League?" Six demanded in a strictly no-nonsense tone. "Whatever you're not telling us, you're making it worse by trying to hide it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Terry replied and looked at Six. "Besides, we really shouldn't be talking about secrets. I think we all have something that we'd rather remain quiet."

"Six and I have been with Providence since its inception," Holiday defended. "He has nothing to prove to me or this team."

"Thank you," Six told Holiday before questioning Terry again. "I talked to my former associates. We couldn't find anything on Terry McGinnis in One's old files." Six paused for dramatic flair and pulled a thick manila folder. "Bruce Wayne was another story." Six tossed the file onto the table near Terry so that it would fall open.

Rex snatched up the folder before Terry could react. "No way! Your boss was the Batman?" Terry groaned, Holiday's eyebrows shot up to her hairline, and Callan actually swore.

"You're the new Batman," Six said and it was a statement, not a question.

"Yes," Terry answered. "I would prefer that White Knight not find out about this."


End file.
